Suction cleaner



De. 26, 1939. R M REED 2,184,433

sUc'rIoN CLEANER Filed oct. 8, 19.38

' Patented Dec.' 26, 1.939 I UNITED sTArEst IsUc'rIoN CLEANER,

Robert M. Reed, Hinsdale, Ill., assignor to '.lhe Hoover Company, North Canton, Ohio, a cor-A poration of Ohio Application october s,

Claims.-

vl.The present invention relates to suction clean ers in general and particularly to new and novel I improvements in dirt traps for demonstrating the cleaning effectiveness of suction cleaners.`

In merchandising suction cleaners it is necessary to demonstrate to the prospective purchaser the cleaning eiectiveness of the cleaner. The method, now practiced, to demonstrate the amount of dirt removed from a door covering is to operate the cleaner lover the surface to be cleaned and then remove the cleaner bag and empty the dirt therefrom. Removing and emptying the bag is a disagreeable operation,

The purpose of this invention is to eliminate these and other disadvantages by providing a demonstration dirt trap which is an accessory I for the cleaner and functions without employing the usual cleaner bag. In using my invention the usual cleaner bag is removed from the cleaner exhaust and the accessoryis attached thereto. The accessory is so constructed as to provide a dirt chamber in which all the dirt removed from' the surface covering accumulates therein, and anobservation glass is disposed with respect to the dirt chamber so that the prospective purchaser can operate the cleaner and at the same time observe the dirt-laden air whirling within the dirt trap and also notice the dirt accumulating within the dirt chamber.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a new and improved accessory to be used for suction cleaners. Another object is to provide a new and improved demonstration dirt trap adapted to beused on suction cleaners, exclusive of the usual cleaner dirt bag. A further object is the provision of a dirt trap adapted for use as an accessory for suction cleaners, and embodying an easily removable air filter. Another object of the invention is thevprovision of an accessory dirt trap for suction cleanersl whereby the purchaser can observe the foreign matter accumulate as the suction cleaner is moved over the surface being cleaned. Other objects and advantages ofthe invention will be apparent from the specification and drawing, wherein:

Figure l is a rear perspective view of a suction cleaner showing the cleaner filter bag removed and a demonstration dirt trap attached to the exhaust vof the cleaner; and

Figure 2 'is a sectional View through the dirt trap. The embodiment of the invention herein disclosed comprises -a suction cleaner i0 provided with a casing II having a nozzle I2 and an exhaust passageway I3. Detachably supported on the casing I I is a motor housing' I4 adapted to receive a motor for driving an unshown suction creating fan in the cleaner casing I I to draw air through the nozzle I2 and discharge the same through the cleaner exhaust passage I3 intol the 1938, Serial No.' 233,932

(Cl. :t5- 13) usual suction cleaner bag. 'Suitable 4wheels I5, only one of which is shown, support the cleaner which is propelled over the oor covering by means of a handle I3 pivotally mounted on the cleaner casing.

The demonstration dirt trap 2l comprises `an elongated cylindrical casing 20 the opposite ends Y of which are supported in annular members 22 and 23. Secured to the cylindrical casing are oppositely disposed members provided with laterally extending hook-like portions 25,126

which are adapted to be removably supported upon a pair of studs 2l, 21 projecting rearwardly from the casing II. The dirt trap is detachably secured tothe ange 2B at the discharge end of the cleaner casing by means of clamping nuts 29, 29 threaded onto the studs 2l, '21, lthe nuts normally securingthe lower end of the 'usual cleaner filter bag to the flange 28 for communication with the exhaust outlet I3. The end member 22 of the dirt trap is provided with an annular recess for 'the reception of a sealing gasket 3I' to provide an air tight joint between the exhaust flange 23 and the dirt trap.

A closure plate 33 -is pivotally secured to the end 23 of the casing 20 by means of a hinge construction 34. The cover 33 is normally locked to the casing 23 by a latch construction comprising a bolt 36 pivotally secured to the end member 23 and a keeper 3l on the closure plate 33, a knurled knob 38 being threaded on the bolt 36 and en-.

gageable with the keeper 37|. The cover 33 is provided with a longitudinally extending cylindrical portion 40 to which a metal screen ll, or other suitable filtering material, is secured by means of an annular band 42.'A Removably disposed between the end wall 23 and the cover 33 isa ltering member 44 such as lintine, or similar filtering materiaL which ls clamped in place between/the cover 33 and the end wall 23 of the casing 20.

The cylindrical casing 20 isprovided with an opening 45-alon'g its top surface which extends along the latter in an arc of substantially The opening 45 is covered by a transparent maten'al 46 which is' secured to the ca'ing 20 by arrangementv in the rabbeted ends 24 in the opposite end members 22 and 23. The transparent member 46, or observation glass, cooperates with the casing 2l! and filter 44 to define a dirt collecting chamber 48, which communicates with the discharge passageway I3 in the cleaner casing II. The cleaner exhaust passageway I3 is disposed at an angle, not shown,.with respect to the dirt collecting chamber 48 and accordingly, the air exhausted from the cleaner, will be discharged at an angle into the dirt collecting chamber 48 to cause the dirt-laden air to swirl therein.

In order to demonstrate the cleaning effectiveness of the cleaner the usual suction cleaner filter bag is removed and the accessory dirt trap is at- .the atmosphere.

tached to the exhaust of the cleaner by manipulating the clamping nuts 29, 28 thereby placing the discharge passageway I3 and the dirt collecting chamber 48 in air tight communication. 'Ihe cleaner motor is energized to rotate the fan which creates suction and as the cleaner is propelled along the fioor covering the dirt-laden air is drawnthrough the nozzle l2 and is discharged through the exhaust passageway I3 into the dirt collecting chamber 48.

Foreign matter in the dirt laden air will collect in the dirt chamber 48 and clean air will pass through the filter member 44 and through the holes in the screen or perforated disc 4| into the outer atmosphere. All foreign matter is removed from the dirt-laden air by the filter member 44 so that only clean air is discharged into As the foreign matter is discharged into the dirt chamber 48 it swirlsdn the latter due to the tangential discharge of the dirtladen air intov the dirt chamber. Since the dirt trap is attached to the exhaust end ofthe cleaner it is very simple for the prospective purchaser to propel the machine over the floor covering in the normal manner of operating the cleaner and at the same time look downwardly through the window 4S and observe the accumulation of all the foreign matter removed from the surface being cleaned.

After the cleaning operation the dirt trap accessory is disconnected from the cleaner, and the nut 38 is manipulated to open the cover 33. The mass of foreign matter in the chamber 48 is then easily removed and thel filtering member 44 is removed by grasping an exposed clean portion 50. The part of the filter 44 exposed to the dirt-laden air will be covered on vone side with a deposit of foreign material, clear evidence,

'in addition to the mass of foreign material in Athe chamber 48, of the total amount'l of dirt which has been removed by operating lthe suction cleaner. A clean filter is used for each demonstration.

It is to be understood that the device functions without the usual dust filteringbag', and. does not take the place of the latter, in the normal use of the cleaner. The device is' an accessory for the purpose of determining and observing the cleaning effectiveness of the cleaner, and the observing of the progressive accumulation of all the foreign matter removed froxn the surface being cleaned.A

I claim:

, 1. An accessory for demonstrating the clean-v ing effectiveness of a suction cleaner comprising, a casing having an air passageway and adapted to have one of its ends attachable to the exhaust of the suction cleaner to cause dirt-laden air to pass into said passageway, closure means pivotally secured to the opposite end of said casing, filter means secured between said casing and closure means in a plane normal to the direction of flow of said dirt-laden aix' and cooperating,V

with said .casing to define a dirt chamber, and

to remove foreign material from said dirt-laden Vair to retain said foreign material in said dirt chamber, and a Window in said casing normal to saidfilter means for observing the accumulation of :aid foreign material in said dirt chamber as said cleaner is moved over the surface being ,cleaned.

2. An accessory for demonstrating the cleaning effectiveness of a suction-cleaner comprising,

a casing having an air passageway and. adapted to be detachably connected to the suction creat- 'ing means to cause dirt-laden air to pass therein,

to: said filter for observing the accumulation of said foreign material in said dirt chamber.

3. An accessory for demonstrating the cleaning effectiveness of a suction cleaner comprising, a casing having a dirt chamber, means on said casing for the detachable connection vof said casing to the exhaust of the suction cleaner in place of the usual cleaner lter bag, a filter for removing foreign material from dirt-laden air exhausted by'said cleaner and to retain the same in said dirt chamber, and a window normal to said filter and carried by said casing, said filter and window being arranged with respect to said dirt chamber for the casing to support the accumulating foreign material removed from the surface being cleaned within the view of an observer looking through said window.

. for detachably connecting one end thereof to A.said exhaust flange in place of the usual cleaner filter bag, said dirt chamber being relatively larger in cross section than said exhaust passageway to dispose a portion of Asaid dirt chamber below said exhaust passageway to form an enlarged expansion chamber for the dirt discharged from said exhaust passageway, a filter at the opposite end of said casing for removing foreign material from the dirt-laden air discharged through said exhaust passageway and to retain the same in said -dirt chamber, and a Window carried by said casing, said filter and window being arranged with respect to said dirt chamber for the casing to support the accumulated foreign material removed from the surface being cleaned within the view of an observer looking through said window.

5. An accessory for demonstrating the cleaning effectiveness of a suction cleaner comprising, a casing having means at one end for detachable connection to the exhaust passageway of the suction cleaner in place ofthe usual cleaner filter bag, said casing having a dirt chamber of greater cross-section than said exhaust passageway whereby the dirt in said chamber settles below the periphery of said exhaust passageway, a filter at the opposite end of said dirt chamber and normal to the longitudinal axis of said casing and to the direction of flow of the dirt-laden air discharged by said cleaner, said lter removing foreign material from the dirt-laden air and retaining theA 

